Reasons
by BornOnTheBreakOfDawn
Summary: Edward doesn't want the real reason to come out in the open, but Alphonse just had to ask. And he answered. Rated for Language. Spoilers for Chapter 108 in the manga. EdWin.


Reasons

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Contains spoilers for Chapter 108 of the FMA manga. *Rated T for Ed's foul mouth. :)

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It was one of the hottest summers in Resembool. The air was humid, making everyone drench with sweat and constantly seek for something cool to refresh themselves with. It wasn't any different in the Rockbell household. All the occupants of the said house were continuously complaining about the intense heat the season was giving them. However, other than the heat, majority of the members residing in that household were annoyed by one other thing – Edward Elric's _colorful_ rants.

"FUCK THIS STUPID WEATHER! FUCK THIS STUPID AUTOMAIL!"

But there was a good and effective solution for this problem – Winry Rockbell's flying wrench.

"And what were you saying about my automail?"

As the young man was nursing his new bump on his head, he responded back just as fiercely.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WITH YOU AND YOUR LOVE OF KNOCKING MY BRAINS OUT WITH YOUR FUCKING WRENCH?"

The young female mechanic just crossed her arms and glared at him. He thought that her look was as deadly as her tools.

"If you weren't speaking badly of either my automail or me, I wouldn't have thrown that wrench at you."

She had to sigh, trying to calm herself for a moment before continuing.

"Look Edward, the rest of us are also getting cranky because of the weather. And we also know and understand very well that you're very uncomfortable dealing with it because of your 'mail conducting the heat. But that doesn't mean you can just exclaim profanities inside this house, particularly about your automail. As I said before, we're already cranky due to the weather. Don't go and piss more or I'll make sure you get sun-dried by the end of the day."

Edward pouted at this. He crossed his arms, huffed a heavy angered breath and sat on the living room couch. Winry sighed once again, walked towards the furniture, and took a spot a little farther away from the older Elric. They both avoided looking at each other for minutes and silence took its toll in those moments. However, one of them managed to summon up the courage to speak.

"If you're complaining so much about your automail, why didn't you get both limbs back when you were inside the Gate? You already got your arm; why not include your leg?"

The former alchemist's lips were sealed into a thin line, pondering on the answer for a while.

"Well?"

He should have known that his childhood friend would be so impatient. He gave out a sigh before speaking up again.

"It's just...I want to keep my automail leg as a reminder of what we did in the past. I mean, yes I know that you all want for both Al and I to move on and look forward to our futures, but our past can never be erased. And there is a huge possibility that the past would repeat itself eventually. That's why I'm keeping this leg so that we'll avoid repeating that same mistake again."

Winry fell silent. It was as if she was absorbing everything that Edward said. He did have a point, but somehow there was a nagging feeling inside her that there is still something more to the reason of him keeping the automail leg. Though that feeling was persistent, she let it slide. She didn't know why she was feeling that in the first place.

"I understand. Well, if that's how you see it, I won't ask you anymore about it."

She got up, stretched, and started to head for the kitchen.

"I'll be making some cold refreshments. Be back later."

Then she was gone.

Edward was left alone on the couch, pondering on what he said. Then, a sudden thought crossed his mind making him blush a bit. There was another reason why he kept the automail, but he didn't voice it out. Edward was so deep in thought that he failed to notice a figure approaching him. It wasn't until a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Was that the only reason why you kept the automail Ed?"

The former alchemist jumped from his seat, trying to catch his breath from being so surprised.

"Alphonse! Why'd you sneak up on me?"

The said person smirked.

"Oh brother, I thought the Truth only took your alchemy. I didn't know it also took your ability to sense somebody nearing you."

Edward frowned.

"Shut up Al. You just caught me off-guard."

The younger Elric laughed.

"I'm pretty sure Teacher would be so angry at you for being so open. Anyway, I heard what you and Winry were talking about. I know that what you said about your leg was true, but I can't shake off the feeling that there's something else behind it. Mind telling me?"

Ed looked away, trying to hide the blush growing brighter on his face.

"There's nothing else to tell. That was the only reason. Besides, didn't you learn that it's rude to eavesdrop?"

"As if you're the one to talk about manners, brother. Look, I can see that you're trying to hide something from me, no use in keeping it. Might as well spit it out. And I'll know if you're lying. So don't bother doing it."

Edward tried to be stubborn in not telling his younger brother, but Al managed to eventually persuade him.

"Alright, alright...I'll tell you! But you have to keep it from Winry!"

"My lips are sealed, brother."

"Okay..."

The older Elric cleared his throat before replying.

"I wanted to keep my automail...um...because...Winry would have been depressed if she couldn't work on it anymore. She'd probably miss it..." he paused, as if he was pondering on what he'll say next, and then he added in a soft voice, "- and I'll probably miss the way she tinkers with it."

Alphonse's eyes went wide at what his older brother said. That was the closest thing to a confession, if Ed did it. The older brother kept his head low, trying to hide his face with his bangs. All Alphonse did was smile at him and patted him on the shoulder. Ed looked up at him.

"That was really sweet of you, Ed. Didn't think you had it in you," Alphonse started to tease.

"Oh just shut up Al," Edward said as he started to get up and headed towards the porch outside. His younger brother soon followed after. What they didn't know was that Winry actually listened in to what Ed said. And to her surprise, that nagging feeling inside her disappeared. She smiled.

"That was the answer I was looking for."

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End

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Author's notes:

This is my second story basing from minor hints in the last chapter of FMA. If you haven't read my first story yet, take a look into my list of published stories and find "Keepsake". It's my own theory on how Winry got the jacket she was wearing as she was sending Ed off to his trip. If you noticed, she was wearing a jacket that looked very similar to what Ed wore when both brothers got back after the Promised Day. So I managed to write a story about it.

This time, I wrote another story but basing from what Alphonse told Gracia about Ed's reason for keeping his automail leg. I think that part was not quite noticeable but I personally found that scene adorable. Ed was very sweet in considering Winry as one of his reasons for keeping his automail.

Disclaimer: Although the series is already finished, I still don't own anything, other than the plot. Credits go to the great Hiromu Arakawa.

Additional A/N:

My sincerest thanks to one of my beta readers, Auto-Alchemechanicist, for editing this story.


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